Medicine for Shortness of Breath: 5 Drugs That Your Doctor Might Prescribe for You

Having shortness of breath after exercising, is normal. However, you should be wary when it always happens in every small activity you’ve done. Such breath might be caused by serious things too, like heart problems and lung problems. So, you better consult it to your doctor and ask for treatment. Of all things, your doctor might prescribe certain kinds of medicine for shortness of breath for you. Here, we have 5 most common ones to be suggested by the doctor to you. Let’s discuss them below.

Anti-Anxiety Medication

Are you feeling anxious every time you experience short breath? If that is the case, there is a need for you to relax. The medicine that will be prescribed in accordance with such symptom would be none other than anti-anxiety medication called anxiolytic. Among the kinds, there are lorazepam and alprazolam. For severe short breath, you might be careful when consuming it. Be sure to know the risk and follow doctor’s suggestion instead.

Antibiotics for Dyspnea

Among the cause of short breath, there is lung infection. For that, the doctor would lean to choose either antibiotic pills or intravenous. After all, we are dealing with infection. The possible antibiotics given are azithromycin and levofloxacin. If you are suggested with it, don’t forget to take the full prescription. Also, just because you are getting better, it does not mean you can stop taking the medicine. Stop only when you are told so. Ask your doctor so you know you don’t take it too long.

Anticoagulant Medicine

Sometimes, short breath can also be caused by blood clot. If it is the cause, you can’t expect either of the previous medicines above to be prescribed to you. In this case, what you need is anticoagulants. So, your doctor might prescribe you with either warfarin sodium or enaxoparin. They work best to prevent your blood from clotting. Thus, they reduce the risk for you experiencing shortness of breath again. Keep it in mind.

Anti-Cholinergic Agents

Having lung problem itself is already problematic, and you can’t afford suffering more by experiencing shortness of breath. However, it has been discovered that some patients with short breath are people who are suffering from chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic obstructive lung disease. If you are one of such people, you will have to take anti-cholinergic agents. These agents can help to relax the lung muscles.

Bronchodilator Medicine

The last but not the least medicine we suggest here would also be good for short breath caused by lung problems. This medicine for shortness of breath works by opening the lung passages. Thus, it promotes good flow of air inside our body and relief the symptoms. Even though it includes as drug, it is typically aerosol type. In other words, you take it by inhalation. That being said, sometimes you will find it being prescribed to take as pills too. Either way, both kinds are effective to relive dyspnea.